Narrative:

Air carrier X and cpr met head-on, opposite direction at 7000 ft in IMC. I was working the metropolitan position (E152), N90. Departure (E155) N90, handed off cpr to me. Cpr, being worked by E149 (N90) (penns/rbv arrival sequence), vectored towards air carrier X. I queried E149 as to what action was being taken, if any at 12 mi separation. I again asked for plans at 8 mi and 6 mi. No response. I again asked a relieving controller at 5 mi and attempted to climb cpr to 8000 ft at his request. Cpr did not respond, so I went to ewr departure position E155 and instructed that controller to reach out for cpr and expedite climb to 8000 ft. I believe this incident could have been avoided if E149 would have had a handoff position staffed. He was very busy with a supervisor instructing him to accept more aircraft against his wishes. Also, color radar probably contributed to the error. Normally, this very complex airspace requires entry into adjacent airspace to ensure safety. All targets are monitored by all ewr controllers and were all green alpha numerics until very recently. Now some tags are white and some green. This was a factor during heavy volume. Conflict alert did not activate until aircraft were 1/2 mi apart, head-on at same altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN EMBRAER 145 ON ARR VECTORS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE AND A C750, CITATION 10, ON DEP CLB DUE TO LACK OF DEP CTLR INTRAFAC COORD.

Narrative: ACR X AND CPR MET HEAD-ON, OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT 7000 FT IN IMC. I WAS WORKING THE METRO POS (E152), N90. DEP (E155) N90, HANDED OFF CPR TO ME. CPR, BEING WORKED BY E149 (N90) (PENNS/RBV ARR SEQUENCE), VECTORED TOWARDS ACR X. I QUERIED E149 AS TO WHAT ACTION WAS BEING TAKEN, IF ANY AT 12 MI SEPARATION. I AGAIN ASKED FOR PLANS AT 8 MI AND 6 MI. NO RESPONSE. I AGAIN ASKED A RELIEVING CTLR AT 5 MI AND ATTEMPTED TO CLB CPR TO 8000 FT AT HIS REQUEST. CPR DID NOT RESPOND, SO I WENT TO EWR DEP POS E155 AND INSTRUCTED THAT CTLR TO REACH OUT FOR CPR AND EXPEDITE CLB TO 8000 FT. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF E149 WOULD HAVE HAD A HDOF POS STAFFED. HE WAS VERY BUSY WITH A SUPVR INSTRUCTING HIM TO ACCEPT MORE ACFT AGAINST HIS WISHES. ALSO, COLOR RADAR PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR. NORMALLY, THIS VERY COMPLEX AIRSPACE REQUIRES ENTRY INTO ADJACENT AIRSPACE TO ENSURE SAFETY. ALL TARGETS ARE MONITORED BY ALL EWR CTLRS AND WERE ALL GREEN ALPHA NUMERICS UNTIL VERY RECENTLY. NOW SOME TAGS ARE WHITE AND SOME GREEN. THIS WAS A FACTOR DURING HVY VOLUME. CONFLICT ALERT DID NOT ACTIVATE UNTIL ACFT WERE 1/2 MI APART, HEAD-ON AT SAME ALT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.